SAIRR

The Institute this morning released a statement that was highly critical of the manner in which the South African Human Rights Commission handled the recent complaint against the general secretary of COSATU. The Institute accused the commission of compromising its principles.

• Read More…

The Institute is looking to employ a research assistant on one of its outreach projects.

• Read More…

The reported decision by the ANC to axe provincial premiers in the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape has again focused the spotlight on provincial performance. The Institute has for several years run a programme to monitor and support the work of the nine provincial legislatures in South Africa. This project has found that, while great developmental disparities exist between provinces, these often have more do with historical and geographical factors than with the political leadership within provinces. Correcting the imbalances may require granting greater autonomy to provincial government.

• Read More…

The Institute said this morning that assurances by the ANC to investors that economic policy would not change meant little when the party was supporting legislation that would allow the government to expropriate those same investors' assets.

• Read More…

The Institute notes reports that the ANC intends to axe the premiers of 'underperforming' provinces. The Institute published a report on the relative performance of provinces in May 2008. That report found that the Western Cape was one of South Africa's top performing provinces while the Eastern Cape was the worst performing.

• Read More…

The Institute this morning sent a letter of complaint to the CEO of the South African Human Rights Commission. The complaint referred to reports in this morning's newspapers that the head of the youth league of the African National Congress, Mr Julius Malema, had called for the 'elimination' of groups including the Democratic Alliance. In the context of other recent threats by Mr Malema the Institute regards this latest threat as extremely serious and a threat to peace and stability in South Africa.

• Read More…

The Institute this afternoon issued a statement in response to newspaper reports that its president, Sipho Seepe, was party to a campaign to benefit the political career of Jacob Zuma. The Institute has pointed out that neither the Institute nor its president was party to any such political campaign.

• Read More…

The Institute this afternoon released a statement accompanying its annual review of crime trends for South Africa. The fourteen year review identified a number of positive trends.

• Read More…

British mercenary Simon Mann was sentenced to 34 years in jail on Monday by a court in Equatorial Guinea following a failed 2004 coup attempt in that country. South Africa’s foreign affairs department responded by saying that the sentence signaled an end to the days of military coups in Africa. But the recent sham election in Zimbabwe, which was carried out under South Africa’s nose, was no better than a military coup and in many respects far worse.

• Read More…

Some of Jacob Zuma’s supporters would feel at home in Robert Mugabe’s cabinet, given their threats of violence and attacks on the highest court in the land, says John Kane-Berman. This column appeared in Business Day on 10th July 2008.

• Read More…

The South African Police Service brought out 2007/08 crime figures this week. Overall they showed that most categories of crime continued to be slightly down year on year. The general post-2003/4 decline in crime levels therefore continued. While certain kinds of crime such as house robberies and hijackings increased the police appear satisfied that their targets of a 7%-10% annual reduction in certain crime types are being met. Is this good enough?

• Read More…

Julius Malema and Zwelinzima Vavi have both uttered statements that they are prepared to kill anyone standing between Zuma and the presidency. They have also in the past insinuated that the free press, the due process of law, the political opposition, and even political activity within the ANC, have somehow conspired against Zuma. But the real threats to Zuma come not from any of the above but from the poor and the unemployed. If Malema and Vavi want to kill to protect Zuma they will have to start here.

• Read More…

The Institute is cited in the local and international media literally hundreds of times every year. A limited selection of those references are posted on this website as they become available.

• Read More…

Mr Jacob Zuma’s response to recent threats of violence by some of his key supporters has been inadequate, suggesting that he is afraid of them or condones what they say. This column by John Kane-Berman appeared in Business Day on 26th June 2008.

• Read More…

Economic data from a number of African economies demonstrate that these are outperforming South Africa. While South Africa remains the continent’s biggest economy it is no longer certain that the continent’s economic destiny depends on South Africa’s performance. With South Africa’s own growth rates under pressure it may be a useful exercise to pay close attention to promising economic performances on display north of our borders.

• Read More…